Sfizio: Modern Italian Kitchen on Perry Vale

There’s a banner up over the Perry Vale “Coming soon: Pizza Tapas & Cocktails”. Sounds promising.

Tapas, yes. Tapas and pizza? WHY???

Guess they are worried about casting the net wide enough in that location. Pizza for the kids. Tapas for the grown ups?

Kids love tapas, there’s always plenty they can eat, so I wouldn’t think that’s the reasoning. But I agree, it’s about widening the net. To me, though, that implies lack of confidence in their offer. I’d love to see a restaurant there with focus, doing something - one thing - really well.

My ‘WHY??’ was more of an existential howl than a question.

Yeah I agree. It also waters down their marketing message. What is it. ?? Eg High Thyme suffers from this. They make nice food but it’s hard to occupy a space in people’s mind since they offer a jack of all trades list.

I would be reluctant to try a restaurant who diversify like this. Usually means neither is done too well and not a destination for either.
Also pizza?!! Aaagh!

How about we give them just a little chance to get things going? It could be the best pizza and tapas combo we have ever experienced. It could be that this is the new fusion food that will be all over Shoreditch by the end of the decade.

And, if i may be allowed a little rant for a moment, why do we all have to eat one type of food at a restaurant? A menu entirely based around chicken, or putting slabs of stuff in buns, or pizzas, or raw fish are all very limiting. When i eat with friends or family we rarely all want to eat the same thing, so a bit of diversity on the menu is good.

A cocktail bar with tapas sounds like a good idea to me and the pizzas will allow them to provide proper meals.

It might work, it might not and they might need to adjust, but I hope that one way or another it is successful.

I agree and I really hope this is a success. The location is great for an after work bite.

I also think Tapas will be great for two reasons. 1) you can scale it up to be as big or small as your appetite and 2) you can scale it up or down depending on budget.

With some good cocktails, beers and wine I could see this being a real success.

Definitely let’s give them a chance!

I wish this new restaurant the best, but I agree with @RachaelDunlop about the lack of focus.

I’ve never eaten in a memorable “fusion” restaurant. Except perhaps Burger and Lobster - but in that case they succeed on a deliberately limited offering, and they are not mixing two “cultures”

When I think tapas I think Spain. Sangria. Churros. Donde.

When I think pizza I think Italy. Burrata, tiramisu, Mamma Dough.

If the new restaurant is for families with kids, perhaps the tapas/pizza combo will work. But I can’t see it being a memorable offering for adults. Hoping to be proved wrong

IMO the thing that scuppered the Perryvale was lack of focus. That’s something any new owner should take on board.

Perhaps it’s a new concept in small pizzas? Much depends on whether there’s a comma between pizza and tapas.

There’s a great Venetian cicchetti place near work that do pizzettas and small plates of pasta, antipasti and secondi. Invariably I hear it described as Italian tapas and mini pizzas.

Fingers crossed that whatever it is, it’s tasty, reasonably priced and a success.

Will they get enough footfall for the venture to be a success?

Venetian small plates would be amazing.

A substantial restaurant with a specific offer doesn’t rely much on ‘footfall’. It needs a USP and smart marketing to get people to specifically come.

Here’s the banner:

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Sounds like it will be called SFIZIO?!?

As Londoners don’t we pride ourselves on mixing ‘cultures’? A new take on Med cuisine, how wonderful and brave. Change is progress after all.

Ah, new information. The sign says ITALIAN tapas. That’s much more encouraging.

Oh. It could be like Polpo in Central London. That would be amazing.

I LOVE Polpo. I’m obsessed with Venice, and love that cuisine.

Sfizio is a common name for Italian restaurants. It sort of means ‘a little of what you fancy’.

Looking at the photos posted after your reply it looks like this venture is opposite Forest Hill train station. Even though it’s on the same road, for some reason I never associate Perry Vale as that far up. I assumed it was opening on the parade on the corner (thereabouts) of Perry Vale and Perry Rise. Footfall clearly won’t be an issue, regardless of their USP and/or marketing.

Opening end of this month according to the guys working there yesterday.

Lights on, people in there tidying and moving things around. The interior still looks good from how it was!

Very exciting to see the shutters up again.

Having just had an outstanding Italian meal in Covent Garden I’m now even more excited about a local venue. Please please let it be good.

I do worry a bit for the other Italian restaurant on Perry Vale. Hope they can both do well somehow

Pizza Della Cucina has a dedicated and (hopefully) loyal following. It’s amazingly family-friendly and a lovely place.

It’s my go to for amazing Pizza and great beer garden. I’m looking forward to the new place too.

The garden at Piazza della Cucina is amazing - and it was absolutely heaving on a weekday evening when we were there the other week. I love their charcoal pizza bases too.

I know the people behind this. They are local residents.

I have sampled their food at family events & it is very authentic Italian. It could be a really very good addition.

Referring to tapas could be misleading & maybe undoing themselves. Italian small plates are often the kind served in Venetian bàcari.

If anyone has had chance to go to Polpo in Central London, that will give you an idea.

Give them a chance

SORRY - I just saw Rachels post

Holy Cow. “Polpo” in Forest Hill would be a big win

The new Italian restaurant has the advantage in that it can be accessed by the disabled.

While true, that’s not the fault of the other pizza restaurant who really have made the best of what they have.

And sadly the Perry Vale is still a long way around from Forest Hill platform 2… If only the lift there went to street level.

I’m looking forward to it. We really liked the Perry Vale restaurant. But I’m guessing the rents are high in that new build hence two restaurants have failed there already.

Their website is up, the menu is making me hungry! https://www.sfiziotapas.com/

That looks the absolute business!

From the website.

Sfizio opened in October 2018

Is it open already? And…

Whilst Sfizio will be using the finest San Marzano tomatoes from the Valley of Sarno, and fresh Mozarella Di Bufala.

Please please please please let them have some of this for offsales. I miss the great selection of Italian tomatoes at Il Mirto. Some nice wines listed too.

Oooh! That menu is sounding good!

looks great!

see you all at ‘Apperitivo Time’ !

Is it open on a Friday? The website seems to be missing that detail!

Yes I noticed the same but when you scroll down at the bottom of the page it mentions reservations and quotes Friday opening times to be same as Monday to Thursday.

So when are we all rocking up? And has anyone figured out when they actually open?

And is anyone confident that they have the correct pronunciation of the name?!

I’ve used their contact form to ask when they actually open. I will update when I get a reply! Or when I’ve got in first and am sitting with a drink

They could have helped us by naming it
S V E T S E O

This looks like it can really work here - great menu, good prices so good luck to them (and I don’t think it will necessarily be to the detriment of La Cucina because 2 similar restaurants can create a bigger draw of clientele, which they share between them)

All looks lovely! Can’t wait to try

Looks good. When is it open?

Just walked past and they are finishing signage, tables inside were set ready- gonna be v soon by the look of it!

Apparently they aim to have a ‘soft opening’ this coming Tuesday.
Looking forward to trying it soon!

Looks cozy already, even without the customers!

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Menu looks nice. Hope it succeeds.

Lucky for them to inherit all the gorgeous fixtures and fittings from the Perryvale.

Looks like it might be open to the public tonight… A few people in there, all tables set and looking nice.

They were handing out pizza samples when I went past earlier. Shame I was on my bike!

First reports back from the locals - it’s REALLY good pizza. Well-sourced ingredients, nice menu…oh god please let it be great and stick around!

We popped in for a quick drink on the way home after being persuaded in by free pizza. Staff are nice and the food looked good!! Booked a table on Saturday to give it a proper go

Had dinner here this evening. Throughly recommended. The food was great, very fresh and tasty and made using quality ingredients. The pizza was outstanding and the tapas, especially the aubergine and mozzarella balls were good. The service was a little slow and muddled but to be expected on day 3 but I’m sure will improve over time. The restaurant was full when we left at 8.30 so hopefully a sign of things to come.

SO many teething problems! Hopefully they sort it out. But a long way to go.

All I have to say I’s WOW! This place in forest Hill is amazing , the food is brilliant with a large range , it is fantastic for all ages and families , very clean and fantastic enviroment ,the staff is friendly and kind, the quality was fantastic , great place to spend a night with a couple or a family.

I’m a bit suspicious.

Yes. All the hallmarks of a fake review imho.

We went last week and I’d call it a work in progress. Drinks-wise our £5.50 Mocktail artived in a cheapy ikea glass unstirred, without the advertised fresh mint and crushed ice and it tasted pretty foul. Peroni arrived in a glass too small to contain it. Only 1 red and 1 white by the glass. Folded bits of handwritten card to denote table numbers. Service chaotic and slow but really friendly. Pizza dough tough and chorizo not great quality. Manager not that interested in feedback.

I’m sure some of these things will be addressed as they become established, some are I’m sure my own pedantry, but some speak to a misreading of what a successful urbane restaurant needs to deliver on to get customers coming back.

Only one way to tell for sure, and that’s to go and try it for ourselves!

it’s missing the unimportant negative point used to avoid flagging algorithms… ie:

“the quality was fantastic, it was a shame the light bulb above our table blew, but a great place to spend a night with a couple or a family.”

However, as you say, it was week 1 and even pro critics give places a bit of grace until things have bedded in.

So far, there’s one good and one middling review - and one which is possibly from a friend to the business. Having said that I was once accused of a fake review on EDF for a local coffee shop when I was genuinely a customer with no connection whatsoever (albeit with a much longer posting history)

I’m looking forward to trying it in the next few weeks.

Went last Friday without a reservation and was told there were no tables free at the moment but we could wait at the bar. I think they forgot about us though as an hour went by and we were still at the bar. They did let us order the tapas food to eat att he bar but we couldn’t try the pasta or pizza. The food was really good and the drinks weren’t too expensive, but I think they might need to work on their communication with customers. Will try it again soon (with a reservation!).

Same thing happened to me ,I did point out that the benches had space manger just rolled his eyes and repeated you can wait at the bar ,not inpressed with his attitude so walked out

@LEON Can you direct the owners of Sfizio to this thread? Every new business can benefit from this sort of feedback and ironing out service issues early on is essential.

Good shout.

I went tonight and had a really good meal.
Spoke to the owner and his brother is the head chef. The food was tasty…The tiramasu was nice but needed a bit more coffee, the prawn spaghetti was yummy and the small plates of meatballs and arancini were good.
Only one white and one red by the glass but the red was nice so no complaints.
Service was prompt but the staff could be a little friendlier but they are pleasant.
Would recommend and would go back.

Yet to try this but I had a pleasant chat with the owner when passing yesterday, in which I also mentioned this thread. After many, many years of experience in the business he is confident in his product and was quite clearly all over the detail of his first week of operation. He says most feedback has been excellent and believes the great majority of customers will come again.

I had some tapas snacks here and one of the strongest negronis of my life this week. The staff was friendly although def need to settle into their roles a little more comfortably. The reviews of my companions who ate a full meal were positive, and the owner was very friendly when I introduced myself as a neighbour. I think in inheriting the interior of the Perry Vale, which doesn’t remotely resemble the visual identity of Sfizio (which extends to a logo and a menu at the moment) they’ve got a bit of a problem with image. Nothing in the space screams “warm friendly Italian restaurant”, which would be something I’d recommend they work on over time. But the food was nice, the staff were nice, the drinks were great (hic) and I’m cautiously optimistic for their future.

To be honest, that’s not a look that would attract me to a tapas and cocktails venue. I’d be looking for something more contemporary.

Fair, but their logo doesn’t look contemporary either. It’s got a bit of a personality/brand crisis going on which I think needs time to sort itself out. They’ve got an interior that says one thing, but a menu/site/logo that says something very different. I feel that for a place to take root and build a following, it needs a bit more confidence in its identity. But then, visual identity is my job, so I’m always going to place more value on stuff like that than others might. The main thing should be the food!

Agreed it needs to be synthesised. If it were me, though, I’d make the logo and other graphics match that beautiful interior, not the other way around. Piazza Della Cucina changed its frontage and identity fairly swiftly to something much fresher and more contemporary and it was an excellent decision.

We went last night and made our way through at least half of the small plates

Food was really good, the wine was nice, the staff were pleasant - we will definitely be back. I really like the decor, but the orange branding does nothing for it, I agree with Rachael that they should change the branding to match the interior. I like the idea of tapas and cocktails more then “friendly local Italian” - there’s a good one of those on Sydenham Road which is a similar distance from my house, something different is much more appealing. We agreed that one of the selling points was that it wasn’t the same as is on offer elsewhere!

Next time, I’m having cocktails!

Went last night, really enjoyed it. Great, fresh calamari, decent pizza, nice house wine and cocktails. Could be a little cosier but overall pleased to have a new place in the area. Ticks a lot of boxes, would go back.

Ate here last night, would echo most of the comments so far. Food is really good. Service is a little haphazard but i’m sure that will sort itself over time. Felt it was a little pricey, but then I imagine the overheads of that site are quite high, especially if The Perry Vale couldn’t make it work either. Will be back though!

What is the pricing like. ?

Here’s the menu.

I think it’s in the upper region of reasonable. But then I haven’t eaten a full meal here yet so maybe it stacks up.

Sounds about right. Not tried. You don’t go there to save money right

Do they serve the tentacles with the calamari? It’s my favourite part and i don’t know why restaurants rarely serve them!

No but I wish they did! Agree it’s the best bit!

also went last night. We treated it as tapas and split 3 fritti, 3 tapas and one huge plate of homemade pasta (Orecchiette Pugliese, delicious!) between 3 of us. With a soft drink, a couple of bottles of house red (very nice Nero d’Avalo), coffees and a shared tiramisu to taste it came to a tad over £30 a head. This was plenty of food for 3, and it was all very tasty, hot and arrived together. Manager and staff team were all welcoming and happy to chat. Will definitely go again.

Just wanted to share my review of Sfizio. My husband and i went Friday night. We hadn’t booked but they accomodated us just fine.

I dont think we were advised very well by the waitress as she told us to choose two tapas and a main each. Well, turns out that was a little too much food for two people! We should have done two tapas each and a main to share (or similar).

The tapas dishes we chose (calamari, slow cooked beef, octopus and melanzane) were fine but the mains (orrecchiette and bufalina pizza) were delicious!

The thing i thought was odd though, was that they brought all the dishes out at the same time! I dont quite know why they did that and whether we were expected to order as we went along but it did mean we were in and out within an hour. Probably explains why we couldn’t finish our food either…

We will go back but we will focus on the larger dishes.

There’s been no mention of Sfizio since last November, but I thought I’d share a couple of anecdotes. One friend likes it so much, he ate there five nights in a row. My parents-in-law thought it was so good that they took my kids two nights running this weekend! We are probably going to check it out for the first time next weekend. It was worryingly a bit quiet both nights, apparently. Worth noting also that kids eat free before 6pm Saturday and Sunday.

I need to give them another go.
We went on a hugely busy Friday night after a couple of pints in the All Inn One.
They said they had a table but we had to wait 15 mins so we had another beer!
Then the food took an age to arrive by which time we had drunk some more wine/beer.
The food was OK when it arrived but some of it was a bit cold and we didn’t really enjoy it - all the tapas dishes arrived at once too which makes no sense to me.
Anyway it generally gets a good write up so I should go back one night.

Does anyone know if Sfizio is closed for good? Tried to go at the weekend but it was shut

It’s temporary from what I saw, issues with the kitchen or something. Surely they do well enough, I’ll be very disappointed if they are closed permanently.

I hope not! Have a table booked for Saturday, and definitely spoke to a real person earlier this evening when booking it.

Oh hurrah!

There were definitely customers in there last night.

I’ve been enjoying takeaway pizzas from Sfizio for 6 months but tonight my partner and I dined for the 1st time… and the pizzas tasted even better- served piping hot. We had starters too which were delicious as was the desert. 2 starters, 2 pizzas, a dessert, a beer and a wine for £50 including tip - I don’t think you can grumble. Our waiter was really lovely and friendly too. I want this restaurant to be busier as I really don’t want to lose it!

We went for the first time on Friday. Really impressive. The arancini was awesome!

We’ve now been several times as well, and have always had a great meal. It’s worryingly quiet though, so would be good to see the place getting more support locally!

Fish and chips - bangers and mash - Modern Italian ? Huh

Um. This is a bit of a shame. I love the current menu

Nooooooooo - it was the best pizza around

We do too!

No more orecchiette?

I don’t know if this is temporary or of it’s in different hands now but went today and it was so bad. Totally different pizza. Like a biscuit

I heard many months ago that it had either been sold or was in the process of being sold. Don’t know the outcome though.

Anyone been back recently? Back on good form? X

Went for lunch this week and service was good, felt safe and food good